Youth pastor already facing charges of sex assault on a child

Boulder police this week ticketed two pastors and two elders at VineLife Church on suspicion of failing to report child abuse.

Investigators say the four men did not tell police about reports that a youth pastor at the church had sexually assaulted a child, despite evidence that he had "repeatedly confessed" to them.

Jason Allen Roberson, 35, is facing six felony charges after police said he had an "inappropriate relationship" with a teenage church member.

The victim, who lives in Boulder and is now 24, went to police in May and told investigators that she and Roberson had an inappropriate relationship that began when she was 15 and continued for seven years.

Roberson turned himself in to police in September.

Over the course of the past two days, police ticketed two pastors and two church elders on suspicion of failing to report the alleged sex assault.

Executive Pastor Robert Phillip Young, 65, and Pastor Luke Michael Humbrecht, 30, were ticketed, as were church elders Edward Charles Bennell, 65, and Warren Lloyd Williams, 66. Police said a fifth person will be issued a summons but is out of the country.

The victim has also filed a lawsuit against both VineLife and Roberson.

The complaint -- which was filed in July -- said VineLife Church "knew or should have known that defendant Roberson was emotionally, psychologically and sexually abusing plaintiff," and that it "failed to take appropriate action in response."

"It is important to see that justice is served," Jeffery Rose, one of the attorneys representing the woman in the suit, said via email Wednesday night. "We are in the early stages of that process, and we need to let the judicial system address this matter fully and fairly."

Officials with VineLife Church -- 7845 Lookout Road -- said in a statement Wednesday that Roberson has been placed on administrative leave.

"The former employee, now 24, first reported the possibility of sexual misconduct to the church in March of this year, 2013. ... It was the understanding of the church leadership that the former employee did not want this matter to be made public. As such, the church sought and obtained legal counsel, who indicated that the Church leadership would not violate Colorado law by not reporting the incident given the current age of the victim."

The church said it could not comment further due to the pending lawsuit.

Failing to report child abuse is a Class 3 misdemeanor. According to state law, those in professions such as teachers or pastors who are in a position of trust with vulnerable people have obligations to report suspected abuse.

"These are important statutes because often, with people who are taking advantage of or abusing a child, that kind of behavior can go on for a while because it tends to happen in secretive or a closed environment," said Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett. "Mandatory reporting statutes are important to prevent certain types of crimes involving vulnerable victims."

According to an arrest affidavit, Roberson was a close friend of the victim's family and, at age 15, she became interested in pursuing a career in the church and began exchanging text messages with Roberson, which eventually evolved into 10 to 15 phone calls a week.

In 2006, Roberson began showing up unexpectedly at her school and home, according to the affidavit, on one occasion letting himself into her house late at night after everyone else had gone to bed. She spoke with him briefly and he left the home, but he later admitted to watching her change clothes through a window, police said.

In 2007, Roberson touched the victim in a sexual manner for the first time, according to the affidavit. She said she walked into his office at the church and he walked in behind her, closing the door, and began touching her chest in a sexual manner.

Roberson touched her in a sexual way at least 10 other times before her 18th birthday, the woman told police.

According to the affidavit, police learned through church leaders and documents obtained by court order that Roberson had "repeatedly confessed" to inappropriately touching the victim.

In talking with police, Roberson admitted to touching the victim inappropriately but said it only occurred after she began attending classes at the University of Colorado.

Roberson has been charged with one count of sexual assault on a child by someone in a position of trust with a pattern of abuse and two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, all Class 3 felonies. He is also facing two counts of unlawful sexual contact, a Class 4 felony, and stalking, a Class 5 felony.

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